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HBX Group CEO Nicolas Huss announced his retirement effective September 30, with current CFO Brendan Brennan to become interim CEO on October 1. The company also issued a Q3 trading update: TTV rose 12% to €2.4 billion, revenue fell 3% to €177 million, and FY guidance was raised.
The UK FCDO updated travel advice for the DRC, advising against all travel to eastern provinces and within 50km of the CAR border, and against all but essential travel to parts of Kinshasa and Kisangani airport. North and South Kivu remain unstable, with Goma and Bukavu captured by M23 rebels and RDF.
The UK FCDO updated travel advice for Honduras, primarily a review for accuracy, including updated information on airport tax, crime, and violent attacks against vehicles. Travelers are advised to obtain appropriate travel insurance.
PhocusWire reports AI is changing hotel discovery, with travelers increasingly using AI platforms over traditional search engines. Phocuswright data shows US travelers using AI for travel research rose from 33% in H1 2025 to 56% in H1 2026, while general search engine use dropped from 51% to 35%. Experts advise hotels to optimize for AI visibility to protect direct bookings.
Vrbo released the Built to Stay Report, finding 86% of travelers would pay more for higher-quality vacation rentals, and 81% would pay more for strong trust signals. Cleanliness, reliable amenities, and quick responses are key quality signals, while verified reviews and detailed reviews are important trust signals.
The UK FCDO updated travel advice for Cape Verde, primarily regarding traveling with medication. Travelers are advised to obtain appropriate travel insurance and note that Global Health Insurance Cards (GHIC) are not accepted in Cape Verde.
Travel startup funding was relatively quiet in Q2 2026, with deals concentrated in seed and Series B rounds, and one notable Series C. Notable Series B rounds include hotel tech company Smartness raising €47 million and India-based hostel company The Hosteller announcing $16 million. WeRoad secured a $58 million Series C led by Airbnb. Clarasight raised an $11.5 million Series A. Despite the seeming lack of funding, investors are bullish on the outlook. Phocuswright data shows funding reached $1.7 billion in the first five months of the year, up from $1.1 billion in 2025. On the M&A front, Expedia Group's acquisition of CarTrawler, Juniper's acquisition of Deem, and Lighthouse's acquisition…
The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) and Airports Council International (ACI) have launched a joint initiative to reduce the risk of runway incursions. A runway incursion is defined as an aircraft, vehicle or person being incorrectly present on a runway or within its protected area. The initiative focuses on three areas: improving safety reporting and data capture, strengthening Local Runway Safety Teams, and sharing progress and lessons learned. It builds on existing global action plans, including GAPPRI.
China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has fined Trip.com Group for monopolization, according to a Form 6-K filed with the SEC. The SAMR found Trip.com violated Articles 22(4) and 22(5) of China's Anti-Monopoly Law, involving exclusive deals and unreasonable transaction terms. The penalty includes refunding $18 million in hotel order security deposits, confiscating $244.4 million in gains, and a fine of $518.9 million, representing 7.5% of its 2025 sales in China. Trip.com Group accepted the decision and plans to implement the requirements.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated travel advice for Eritrea, adding information about military activity in the Red Sea area. FCDO advises against all travel to within 25km of all land borders. Due to high tensions between Eritrea and Ethiopia, the situation could change quickly in a crisis, including ability to travel. Practical support from the British government may be severely limited. Travelers should be prepared to arrange their own departure.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated travel advice for Djibouti, adding information about military activity in the Red Sea area. FCDO advises against all travel to the Djibouti-Eritrea border. Travelers should note that travel insurance could be invalidated if traveling against FCDO advice.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated travel advice for Uganda, adding information about a new monthly curfew on national cleaning day. Travelers should be aware of this new measure and comply with local regulations.
Canada-based TravelAI has acquired the Sonder brand and relaunched Sonder.com. The acquisition includes Sonder's trademarks and domain names, not its operating businesses, properties, leases, inventory or staff. Terms were not disclosed. Previously, Sonder's parent company announced wind down in November 2025 and filed for Chapter 7 liquidation. TravelAI launched the new Sonder.com as a curated guide to urban stays, featuring properties in New York, London, Barcelona and more.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated travel advice for Georgia, adding information on the political situation. FCDO advises against all travel to South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and against all but essential travel to areas adjacent to their administrative boundary lines. Additionally, escalation in the Middle East may cause global travel disruption, including airspace closures and flight delays.
Waltru is a Barcelona-based startup offering a personalized travel companion that generates itineraries based on traveler preferences and pace, and narrates each place's story via audio. Currently in beta, it plans to expand to Madrid, Paris, Rome and London. The business model is pay-per-trip via in-app purchases, with B2B2C distribution planned. The founding team consists of three Argentines with software and travel backgrounds.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated travel advice for Saudi Arabia, adding information on regional risks including the Saudi-Yemen border and threats from the Houthis. FCDO advises against all travel to within 10km of the border with Yemen, and against all but essential travel to areas between 10km and 80km from the border. Additionally, regional tensions may lead to strikes and retaliatory attacks; travelers should prepare for flight cancellations and airspace closures.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) updated its travel advice for Algeria, warning against all travel to within 30km of the borders with Libya, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, and Tunisia in the provinces of Illizi and Ouargla and the Chaambi mountains area. It advises against all but essential travel to the rest of the Algeria-Tunisia border. The latest update includes information on wildfires.
The UK FCDO updated its travel advice for Tunisia, warning against all travel to the Chaambi Mountains National Park, designated military operations zones (Mount Salloum, Mount Sammamma, Mount Mghila) in western Tunisia near the Algeria border, and the militarized zone south of El Borma and Dhehiba near the Libya border. It advises against all but essential travel to other areas. The latest update includes visa requirements, money, electronic devices, drugs, and power supply.
The UK FCDO updated its travel advice for the UAE, noting the Middle East situation remains unpredictable, with strikes and retaliatory attacks by Iran since 8 July against US military and civilian infrastructure. There is a risk of further attacks and escalation. British nationals should prepare for flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions.
This week's travel tech briefs include: American Airlines adds Venmo and expands digital disruption tools; Spotnana introduces multiagent AI architecture; Travelport signs distribution deals with Air Zimbabwe and Aeroitalia; BCD Travel launches next-gen Tripsource; Engine Groups becomes free; Hostaway appoints executives; Wego partners with Valu for BNPL; SAS deploys Amadeus AI pricing.
Visiting Media, an immersive content provider, and HotelPORT, a hospitality content management company, have partnered to help hotels strengthen digital content and improve commercial performance. The partnership combines immersive storytelling with enterprise content governance, auditing OTA listings, brand websites, and more to improve accuracy, consistency, and engagement. A 90-day pilot will launch.
The UK FCDO updated its travel advice for Kuwait, now advising against all but essential travel. Due to regional tensions, Iran has conducted strikes against US military and civilian infrastructure, including in Kuwait, since 8 July. Kuwait International Airport is operating through Terminals 4 and 5 only, with reduced flights. British nationals should prepare for flight cancellations and airspace closures.
The UK FCDO updated its travel advice for Bahrain, now advising against all but essential travel. Due to regional tensions, Iran has conducted strikes against US military and civilian infrastructure, including in Bahrain. The US Embassy in Manama warned Iran may target central Manama. British nationals should prepare for flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions.
BCD Travel has launched the next generation of Tripsource, a travel and expense platform built on an 'Open by Design' architecture, linking travel content, data, AI, and third-party technologies. The platform integrates booking, servicing, and intelligence, with a unified configuration layer and BCD Marketplace, supporting GDS, NDC, direct connects, and more. It will be showcased at GBTA.
The UK FCDO advises against all travel to Iran. Due to the security situation, UK staff have been temporarily withdrawn, and the embassy operates remotely. There is a risk of arrest and detention for British nationals, and ports and borders may close at short notice, with communications disrupted. British nationals in Iran should consider leaving and prepare for flight cancellations and airspace closures.